The Hoptown Hoppers opened the Ohio Valley League postseason with a 13-7 win over Madisonville Friday at Tiger Field.
The Hoppers overcame 5-1 deficit with a six-run third inning they wouldn’t relinquish. They added three runs in the fifth inning and three more in the seventh.
Hunter Evans led off the third inning by getting plunked with a pitch. Micah Genter doubled Evans to third. Drew McGowan scored Evans with an RBI groundout. Jacob Jenkins, who was named to the OVL All-League Team this week, doubled home Genter to cut the Miner deficit to 5-3.
Ben Huber singled home Jenkins. Later in the inning, Chandler Kendall singled home two runs, and Brant Hussar stole home for a 7-5 Hopper lead.
Kendall would add another single in the fifth that scored two runs and extended the Hoppers’ lead to 10-5.
Michael Conn added a two-run double in the seventh inning to provide more insurance.
Genter finished the game with three of Hoptown’s 15 hits. Huber, Kendall, Evans, and Charlie Fischer each had two hits.
Ricky Sisto homered for Madisonville, and Alex Rodriguez had three hits.
Will Nash pitched into the seventh inning to pick up the win for the Hoppers. He allowed two earned runs and struck out three while scattering nine hits.
The best-of-three series heads to Madisonville Saturday where the Hoppers can eliminate the Miners for the second straight year.
In the other West Division semifinal, Fulton edged Paducah 3-1.
In the East Division semifinals, Henderson beat Franklin 10-2. Caldwell County alum Noah Brown had two hits for Henderson, while Tyler Estes, who played at Trigg County, had a double for Franklin.
Dubois County thumped defending OVL champion Owensboro 15-1 in the other semifinal and will have a chance to eliminate the RiverDawgs at home Saturday.